Archivaly Processed FB Print Lifespan

**d burdeny** · 4-Aug-2004, 15:32

Does anyone know for certain what the expected lifespan of a selenium toned archivaly processed B&W FB print is? I’ve been told under household conditions behind glass etc, no degradation should occur up to 150 years. Is that overly optimistic?

**tim o'brien** · 4-Aug-2004, 16:14

I'll check on the ones I printed 150 years ago.

Whoops, couldn't find them, but the ones I printed in 1986 are just fine. They were selenium toned for archival permanence and mounted in rag acid free matboard.

Why, might I ask?

tim in san jose

**Pat Kearns** · 4-Aug-2004, 16:39

I don't think that is overly optomistic. There is a salted print of William Henry Fox Talbot of the University in Oxford dated 1843 at A Gallery For Fine Photography in New Orleans. That makes it 161 years old and this print was made during the infancy of photography. So archivally printed and mounted FB prints should easly last 150 years. By the way, you can view if at the gallery or online at www.agallery.com and if you have an extra $75,000 it can be yours.

**Eric Woodbury** · 4-Aug-2004, 17:31

I have some that I printed in the 60s, not toned and I didn't know the word archival. They look fine. I have some of my grandmother, when she was a kid, which must have been 100 years ago and they look fine, too.

From what I've read, the exact best fix, wash, and tone is yet to be decided.

How long you figuring on living?

**Ralph Barker** · 4-Aug-2004, 17:52

I have several untoned B&W prints of family members circa 1907 that show little deterioration, even though they were not stored properly for many of those years.

**Garry Teeple** · 4-Aug-2004, 18:10

I sometimes wonder about permanance. I have an 11x14 print of my wife taken before we were married over 30 years ago. This is an RC print on Luminous paper that only recieved a five minute wash after being fixed in Kodak fixer for two minutes. It has been framed behind glass but not mounted all these years and it still looks the same. If the old RC last this long, properly processed fiber based prints should last at least 100 years without toning. Just my opinion though.